March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom facts for kids

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a huge gathering held in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. It took place on the National Mall, a large open area in the city. This famous event is where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his powerful "I Have a Dream" speech.

More than 200,000 people, both Black and White, came together to ask for equal rights and jobs for everyone. After the march, important laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed. These laws helped to end unfair treatment and make sure all citizens could vote.

Planning the March

The idea for the march first came from A. Philip Randolph. He was a leader of a labor group called the Negro American Labor Council. He was also a vice president of the AFL-CIO, a big union organization.

Randolph had planned a similar march in 1941. That march didn't happen, but the idea of it was very powerful. It helped convince President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create Executive Order 8802. This order made sure that all workers in the defense industry were treated fairly, no matter their race. This was a big step towards equal opportunity.

Key Organizers

Many other important civil rights leaders helped Randolph plan the 1963 march. They worked together to spread the word and get people to come. Some of these leaders included:

• James Farmer, who led the Congress of Racial Equality
• John Lewis, who led the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
• Martin Luther King Jr., who led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• Roy Wilkins, who led the NAACP
• Whitney Young, who led the National Urban League

Bayard Rustin, who was one of the first Freedom Riders, helped with all the small details of organizing the march. The Freedom Riders were people who rode buses to challenge racial discrimination in travel.

Safety and Protection

Many people were worried about the safety of the marchers. There were concerns that trouble might break out. The Washington D.C. Police department took special steps to keep everyone safe.

They looked for Black police officers from all over the country to help protect Martin Luther King Jr. and the other marchers. Police thought that having Black officers present would help keep things calm if any problems started.

Images for kids

• 

  Leaders arrived late and linked arms in front of marchers on Constitution Avenue.

• 

  March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom program

• 

  Joan Baez and Bob Dylan performing at the March on Washington

• 

  Kennedy meets with march leaders. Left to Right – Willard Wirtz, Matthew Ahmann, Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Rabbi Joachin Prinz, Eugene Carson Blake, A. Philip Randolph, President John F. Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Walter Reuther, Whitney Young, Floyd McKissick, Roy Wilkins (not in order)

• 

  Leaders of the March on Washington speak to the news media after meeting with President Kennedy at the White House.

• 

  50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

• 

  Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte and Charlton Heston

• 

  Leaders gather for a portrait

• 

  Charlton Heston, James Baldwin, Marlon Brando, and Harry Belafonte